Rack for stereo cartridges



April 16, 1968 A- R..DYESS 3,378,146

RACK FOR STEREO CARTRIDGES Filed June 20, 1966 immiw .mmw

. ii fi INVENTOR.

ARA/0L0 I? DYESS 35% Jim ATTORNEY United States Patent Oftice 3,378,145 Patented Apr. 16, 1968 3,378,146 RACK FOR STEREO CARTRIDGES Arnold R. Dyess, 20959 Vanrleene Ave., Torrance, Calif. 0502 Filed June 20, 1966, Ser. No. 558,959 2 Claims. (Cl. 211181) This invention relates to a wire rack for housing stereo cartridges, the present rack being particularly adapted for installation in the front compartment of automotive vehicles for storing cartridges of magnetic tape recordings adapted for selective insertion in a stereophonic reproducer housed in said compartment.

An object of the present invention is to provide a rack, as above characterized, that, due to its compact, rounded form, may be installed in different selected positions to be clear of the body and, particularly the legs and feet of persons occupying the mentioned vehicle compartment.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rack, as mentioned, that may be oriented to various angular dispositions and yet affording safe retention of cartridges stored therein. This invention also has for its objects to provide such means that are positive in operation, convenient in use, easily installed in a working position and easily disconnected therefrom, economical of manufacture, relatively simple, and of general superiority and serviceability.

The above objects are realized in a rack construction that comprises several tiers of cartridge supports connected in suitably spaced relation by longitudinal members, said supports and members being formed of plasticcoated wires spot welded together to comprise a lightweight, skeletal unit. The Wires forming the supports have round front bights that minimize interference with the feet and legs of persons entering and leaving said vehicle compartment and enable cartridges to be suitably grasped and withdrawn from the rack for insertion into a stereophonic reproducer, and returned to the rack. Two pairs of laterally disposed connecting members serve to guide cartridges in the rack, and a third pair at the rear limits the cartridge positions on the wire supports.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novel combinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear in the course of the following description and which is based on the accompanying drawing. However, said drawing merely shows, and the following description merely describes, one embodiment of the present invention, which is given by way of illustration or example only.

In the drawing, like reference characters designate similar parts in the several views.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a rack for stereo cartridges according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view thereof showing one manner of mounting the same in operative position.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view showing alternative means for mounting the rack.

The cartridges 4 that are shown in the drawing are conventional magnetic tape recordings which are selectively insertable into a stereophonic reproducer. These cartridges are of standard form and size, the rectangular shape shown being the shape common to all such units.

The rack 5 that is illustrated comprises, generally, a plurality of cartridge supports 6, two pairs of longitudinal members 7 on opposite sides of said supports to connect the latter in spaced relation to accommodate cartridges 4 disposed on the supports, and a third pair of longitudinal members 8 at the rear of the supports to limit the position of the cartridges on the supports.

The supports 6 and members 7 and 8 are preferably formed of wires spot-welded together and coated with plastic to provide a smooth, non-abrading finish.

The supports 6 are arranged in vertically spaced relation on spacing somewhat greater than the thickness of the cartridges. Each support is formed of a wire into a form having opposed horizontal sides 10, a front convexly rounded portion 11 that is connected to the forward ends of sides 10, and rearwardly and inwardly bent end portions 12 extending toward each other from the rearward end of sides 10. The frame-like form of each said support 6, as above described, is of a size, lengthwise and crosswise, slightly larger than that of the cartridges 4. It will be clear, as seen in FIG. 1, that a cartridge superimposed on a support -6 will rest upon the sides 10, rounded portion '11, and end portions 12, with the forward corners thereof residing outside the support due to the rounded form of the latter. Both the end portions 12 and the lateral parts 13 .of the rounded portion 11 have angular dispositions at the four corners of the cartridge and, therefore, steadily support said cartridge.

The longitudinal members 7 are welded to the sides 10 of the supports 6 with the latter spaced as above indicated and form retainers that limit any tendency of the cartridges to turn or shift on said supports. Only forwardly can the cartridges be moved, since the members 8 welded to the ends of end ports 12, limit the cartridges against further rearward movement.

The likelihood of forward movement, due to auto vibration and road shocks, may be minimized by the disposition of the cage-like rack above described. Any slightly rearwardly tilted portion or any other portion that does not slope the supports forwardly, will provide the desired mount for the cartridges. The rack, by means of a transverse strap 14 across the top, may be bolted to a lower edge of the instrument panel 15, by a similar strap across the bottom, to any desired part of the floor boards, or by means, such as clips 16, engaged with two or more longitudinal members 7 or 8 and secured to one of the kick plates 17 at the side of the auto forward of the front seat. Such a strap 14 or clips 16 may afford means to mount the rack where desired and where room therefor is available and convenient, provided the cartridges 4 are readily accessible for removal or exchange.

While the foregoing has illustrated and described what is now contemplated to be the best mode of carrying out the invention, the construction is, of course, subject to modification without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, it is not desired to restrict the invention to the particular form of construction illustrated and described, but to cover all modifications that may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described this invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A rack for stereo cartridges comprising:

(a) a plurality of vertically spaced horizontal supports formed of wires having opposed parallel side portions, convexly curved front portions connecting the forward ends of said side portions, and rearwardly and inwardly bent, angularly directed rear end portions extending from the rearward ends of said side portions and terminating in spaced. relation,

(b) vertical side members comprising two lengths of horizontally spaced wires connected to the outer sides and adjacent the ends of the opposed side portions of the supports to hold the same spaced, the spaces thus formed being adapted to accommodate stereo cartridges on the supports, and

(0) rear vertical members connecting the ends .of the angularly directed rear ends,

(d) the vertical side members limiting lateral and rotational shifting movement of cartridges on the supports, and the rear vertical members limiting the rearward position of the cartridges on the supports.

3 4 2. A rack according to claim 1 provided with a m0unt 1,888,141 11/1932 Orth 22448 ing strap extending between the side portions of at least 2,251,600 8/1941 Pollock 211--18.1 XR one of the Wire members that constitute supports for the 2,448,319 8/1948 Maranville 211-181 XR stereo cartridges. 3,168,229 2/1965 Heifetz 22445.7 5 1,193,736 8/1916 Swift 248-300 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS ROY D. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner.

1,093,450 4/1914 McLaughlin 22445.7 W. D. LOULAN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A RACK FOR STEREO CARTRIDGES COMPRISING: (A) A PLURALITY OF VERTICALLY SPACED HORIZONTAL SUPPORTS FORMED OF WIRES HAVING OPPOSED PARALLEL SIDE PORTIONS, CONVEXLY CURVED FRONT PORTIONS CONNECTING THE FORWARD ENDS OF SAID SIDE PORTIONS, AND REARWARDLY AND INWARDLY BENT, ANGULARLY DIRECTED REAR END PORTIONS EXTENDING FROM THE REARWARD ENDS OF SAID SIDE PORTIONS AND TERMINATING IN SPACED RELATION, (B) VERTICAL SIDE MEMBERS COMPRISING TWO LENGTHS OF HORIZONTALLY SPACED WIRES CONNECTED TO THE OUTER SIDES AND ADJACENT THE ENDS OF THE OPPOSED SIDE PORTIONS OF THE SUPPORTS TO HOLD THE SAME SPACED, THE SPACES THUS FORMED BEING ADAPTED TO ACCOMMODATE STEREO CARTRIDGES ON THE SUPPORTS, AND (C) REAR VERTICAL MEMBERS CONNECTING THE ENDS OF THE ANGULARLY DIRECTED REAR ENDS, (D) THE VERTICAL SIDE MEMBERS LIMITING LATERAL AND ROTATIONAL SHIFTING MOVEMENT OF CARTRIDGES ON THE SUPPORTS, AND THE REAR VERTICAL MEMBERS LIMITING THE REARWARD POSITION OF THE CARTRIDGES ON THE SUPPORTS. 